Decorative ribbon



April 1s, 1940.

w. c. PRoTz 2,197,591

DECORATIVE RIBBON Filed Aug. 24, 193s I FiF-9.# 7j-5 lll 'yl/II IIA Patented Apr. 13 1940 UNITED STATES FEE National Tinsel Manufacturing Company,

Manitowoc, Wis., a corporation of AWisconsin Application August 24, 1936, Serial No. 97,672

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a decorative ribbon or the like for use in tying packages or for other decorative purposes, and more particularly to a decorative ribbon made of transparent or translucent material and having contiguous areas of varying shades or degrees of transparency.

The use of transparent ribbon or ribbon like material for tying packages such as Christmas presents, store purchases, etc., is well known today. In many instances these ribbons are colcred, oftentimes by incorporating a pigment in the material during its manufacture or by coating the material with a colored ink or like material.

In some instances attempts have been made to produce a ribbon having contiguous bands of varying shades by coating the material with varied shades of colored ink or by securing separate strips of material thereto by use of suitable adhesives. Neither of these methods have been satisfactory and both methods have been'costly, and involved.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to produce a novel vari-shaded ribbon without the use of inks of different colors or the use of separate strips secured to one another as by adhesives.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel vari-shaded ribbon formed from a single strip of material.

A still further object of the present invention resides in providing a novel transparent or translucent ribbon with contiguous vari-shaded areas by folding the material to form certain areas of darker shade or shades than the original strip.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing a novel ribbon having vari-shaded contiguous areas and reinforced exposed edges formed by folding a single strip of material in novel manner.

A further object of the present invention resides in crimping certain areas of a variegated transparent multi-ply ribbon in novel manner to enhance its attractiveness and improve the bond (Cl. L11--21) Figure 3 is a plan of the top surface of the ribbon of Figure 2 showing the vari-shaded areas or bands. Y

Figures i through 17 are alternately cross-sections and plans of strips embodying preferred variations in the manner of folding shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Figure 18 is a cross-section through a strip folded in another preferred manner.

Figure 19 is a plan of the top surface of a ribbon showing the vari-shaded areas or bands formed by the manner of folding shown in Figure 18. e

Figures20 through 23 are alternately crosssection plans of strips embodying preferred variations in themanner of folding shown in Figure 18.

Figures 24 and 25 are cross-section and plan, respectively, lshowing a ribbon which has been crimped in laccordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 26 is a preferred modification of the ribbon of Figures'24 and 25 wherein the crimping is accomplished on a line with the borders of the ribbon.

With continued reference to the drawings wherein like `reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the several figures, reference numeral 8 indicates generally a strip of transparent material which is to be folded in accordance with the present invention.

Strip 8 may be any suitable transparent material such as regenerated cellulose, Glassine or other similar transparencies. The material preferably employed in the manufacture of the decorative ribbon produced by the present invention is the transparent regenerated cellulose products sold under the trade naines "Cellophane and Sylphrap.

The edges Il of strip 8 are initially folded downwardly and inwardly along lines II as seen at the left of Figure 1. Edges 9 are then folded along lines I2 to form areas I3 and return folded portions I4. Portions It are in turn folded at I5 around the initial fold lines II so that the edges E6 thereof Will overlie theopposite or upper face I'I of strip 8 as seen in Figure 2. I

The lines of folds II, I2 and I5 are creased tightly during the folding operation or immediately thereafter and the several plies I3, I4 and l5 are pressed tightly together by any suitable means such as a pair of smooth rolls. The pressure of the rolls, due to the peculiar properties of thev aforementioned regenerated cellulose material, is sufficient to assure the permanent bonding of the several plies. If a material having a wax or cementitious coating is employed, heat may be applied to melt the wax or like material and cement the folds to one another. Y

If desired, a suitable colorless, transparent adhesive may be applied between the several plies and the ribbon may then be passed through suitable drying rolls in a manner well known in the art.

The completed ribbon I8 is shown in crosssection in Figures 2 and 3. From an inspection of these figures, it will be apparent that border areas or bands I3 of quadruple thickness are provided by the method of folding described. These bands I8, due to the plurality of layers of the material, will be less transparent than the inner area or band 2I. As a result ribbon I8 is characterized by having two different shades; namely, dark borders I9 and a lighterV central area or band 2l. This difference in degree of transparency, particularly when transparent, colored, regenerated cellulose having a pigment incorporated therein during its manufacture is used, produces an unusually attractive ribbon.

In order to illustrate the variegated appearance of the completed ribbon I8, the drawing has been shaded with oblique lines to represent the color green. The difference in the shades ofthe contiguous bands I9 and 2I has been simulated by using a greater number of shade lines for the darker areas or bands I9.

A second preferred manner of folding the strip 8 to produce a ribbon having two shades like that of Figures 1 through 3 is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this embodiment of the invention the area I3 and return folded portion I4 on one edge of the strip, the right hand edge as seen in Figure 4, are formed in the manner previously described. The other edge or left-hand edge of the strip is formed by folding edge area 22 in the opposite direction, i. e., over the upper surface of strip 8. Edge area 22 is then return folded in the manner previously pointed out in connection with area I3 to form return folded portion 23.

Portion 23 is then folded along line 24 around the original line of fold II so that the edge area 25 thereof overlies the undersurface of strip 8. Portion I4 is also folded along a line 2| so that its edge area 25 overlies the upper surface I1 of strip 8. Preferably the width of areas 25 is such that the free edges thereof will terminate at the longitudinal center line of strip 8.

The ribbon 26 formed thereby, as a consequence, is made up of border areas or bands` 21 (Figure 5) of four-ply thickness and a center area or band 28 of two-ply thickness, Ribbon 26 accordingly presents border bands 21 having the same shade as bands I9 and a central band 28 having a slightly deeper shade than band 2I of Figures 1, 2 and 3. The edges of the ribbon of this form of the invention are reinforced in the manner described in connection with the previous embodiment of the invention.

y A still different manner of folding lstrip 8 to obtain the color characteristics described in connection with Figures 4 and 5 is shown in' Figures 6 and '7. In this modification of the invention, the areas I3 and I4 are formed in the manner described in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The edges 25 are formed by folding the edge areas of portions I4 so that they overlie upper surface I1 and abut at the longitudinal center line of strip 8. 'This form of the invention, like that of Figures 4 and 5 forms four-ply border bands 21 and a twoply central band 28.

Ribbon 23 of Figures 4 and 5 or 6 and 1 is characterized by dark borders 21 due to the fourply layers and a lighter central area 28 due to the two-ply layer. 'I'he only difference between these latter forms of the invention and Figures l through 3, insofar as the shade of the various bands is concerned, is that the central band 2l of Figures l through 3 is of a slightly lighter shade than central band 28 of Figures 4 through '1.

Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing illustrate a still different manner of folding strip 8 to obtain the color characteristics described in connection with Figures l through 7. The areas 3I of strip 8 in this modification of the invention are folded downwardly and inwardly around lines II. Areas 3I are of such width that their free edges abut at the longitudinal center line of strip 8. Areas 3I are return folded around lines 33 to form intermediate portions 34 which overlie areas 3| and extend to the fold lines II. The edge areas 35 of portions 34 are in turn folded upwardly around fold lines II and extend inwardly over top surface I1 of strip 8 as shown in Figure 8.

As a consequence of the above described folding operations, a ribbon 36 having border areas or bands 31 (Figure 9) of four-ply thickness and central area or band 38 of three-ply thickness is formed. As in the previously described modifications of the invention, ribbon 36 is characterized by dark borders 31 and a central band 38 of slightly lighter shade than borders 31.

A further modied form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. In this form of the invention, areas I3 and I4 and 22, 23 and 25 are formed in the same manner as that described in Figures 4 and 5. In this form of the invention, one intermediate portion, that is indicated by numeral I4 in Figure l0, is shorter than the other so that its edge area I is of a width equal to that of portion I4. Ribbon 39, formed by the instant manner of folding, has four-ply borders or bands 4I) one of which is contiguous to a two-ply band 4I and the other to a one-ply band 42. Preferably bands 4I and 42 each extend outwardly from the center line and are of equal width. Ribbon 39 as seen in Figure 11 is characterized by three shades; namely, dark borders 40, slightly lighter band 4I contiguous to one border, and a still lighter band 42 contiguous to the other border. The exposed edges of ribbon 39 are reinforced due to their being folded as pointed out in connection with the preceding form of the invention.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a different method of folding strip 8 to obtain a ribbon having three shades. In these figures the areas I3 are folded around lines II in the manner previously described in connection with Figures 1 through 3. Areas I3 are then folded along transverse lines 43 chosen so that the first ply formed by the folding operation extendsI a slightly greater distance toward the transverse center line of strip 8 than the corresponding ply of Figures 1 through 3 but not as far as that of Figures 8 and 9. This folding operation provides a return folded portion 44 similar in function to portion I4 of Figures 1 through 7.

Portions 44 are in turn folded along lines 45 around initial fold'lines I`I so that the edge areas 4B thereof will overlie the face I1 of strip 8 and will be approximately equal in Width to aie'agtm areas i8 of Figures 1 through 3. The completed ribbon fil, shown in Figure 13, provides fouiwply border bands d8, a single ply central band [i3 and three-ply intermediate bands 50. Ribbon #il is, accordingly, characterized by three shades; namely, dark borders 118, slightly lighter contiguous bands 55 and a still lighter central band lil The exposed edges of ribbon 41 may be reinforced in the manner previously pointed out.

A further manner of folding strip to produce a ribbon having three shades is illustrated in Figures le and 15. The areas 13,'-return folded portion lill and areas Illia are formed in exactly the same manner as the areas i3, it and 46 `of Figures l2 and 13. The only difference between this form of the invention and that of Figures 12 and 13 is that areas 46a are wider, i. e. extend inwardly toward the center line of strip t a greater distance than do areas 4S. Because of this fact the four-ply border 48a of ribbon 41a formed by folding, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, is wider than the borders shown in the previously described forms of this invention and the central lightest area 49a is considerably reduced in. width.

Ribbon Lila, therefore, exhibits a strikingly different appearance characterized by three shades; namely, wide dark borders 53a, slightly narrower and lighter contiguous bands' 55a, and a still lighter central band 49a.

Another striking three-shaded ribbon is obtained by folding strip 8 in the manner shown in Figures 16 and 17. Areas i3 are formed by folding along lines il in the manner described in Figure l. Areas i3 are then folded back along lines 5l to form a return folded portion 52. Areas i3 are preferably slightly narrower than areas i3 of Figure 1 and return folded portion 52 extends beyond the fold lines ll a distance approximately equal to the width of areas i3. Fortion 52 is in turn folded back at 53 to forni overlapping areas 55 equal in width to areas 52. Areas 54 overlie fold lines ll and surface il of strip 8.

Ribbon 55, resulting from the folding operations just described, is made up of edge bands 5t of two-ply thickness, contiguous band 51 of four-ply thickness and a central band 58 of oneply thickness. This ribbon, accordingly, presents an appearance characterized by light shaded border bands 56, a still lighter central band 58 and intermediate bands 5l of a comparatively dark shade.

1f desired, the novel shaded ribbons of the present invention may be produced without in any way disturbing the contour of surface I1. To this end strip 8 is folded in the manner shown in Figures 18 through 23.

As illustrated in Figures 18 and 19, strip 8 has its areas i3 formed by folding along lines Il in the manner heretofore described. vAreas I3 are then folded upon themselves along lines l2 to form return folded portions lli. Portions lil, as shown in Figure 18, are exactly equal in width to areas it and their edges coincide with the4 edges formed by fold lines il. Ribbon 59, formed in this manner, provides three-ply border bands 65 and a single ply central band il i. This ribbon, accordingly, presents a two shade appearance characterized by dark border bands til and a light central band 6l.

Figures 2f) and 2l illustrate a further twoshaded ribbon formed by folding strip 8 so that surface il remains undisturbed. As seen in these figures, edge areas 3l are folded along lines Il in the manner previously described in connection with Figures 8 and 9. Areas 3i are in turn folded along lines 33 to produce relatively short return folded portions 63.

Ribbon 64, resulting from the above described folding operations, contains border bands 65 of twoply thickness and a central band 6G of three ply thickness. Ribbon 6ft is, therefore, characteriaed by light border bands 55 and a dark central. band 66. f

Figures 22 and 23 illustrate the construction of a further two-shaded ribbon formed by folding strip il in the manner shown in Figures 18 and 19, i. e. without disturbing surface l'l. In'this connection strip B has its areas i3 formed by folding along lines li in the manner previously described. Areas it are then folded upon themselves along lines i2 to form return folded portions 53 which as seen in Figure 22 are of slightly less width than areas i3. Portions 68 lare in turn folded along lines 69 to form inwardly directed portions 'll which abut along the longitudinal center line of strip 8.

Ribbon 12 formed in this manner provides two-ply border bands 13, four-ply intermediate bands 14, and a two-ply central band 15. The exposed edges of ribbon 12 are reinforced in the manner previously described and the ribbon is characterized by border bands 'l5 and a central band 15 of a uniform light shade and intermediate bands 'M of a darker shade.

If desired any one of the finished ribbons may be rendered more attractive by suitably crimping the ribbon or any one ormore of the shade bands by passing the ribbon through corrugated rollers. Such a ribbon is illustrated in Figures 24 and 25 where the ribbon formed in Figures 1 through 3 has the band i9 crimped as indicated by the ver,- tical lines '19.. The crimping operation as seen from Figure 2li provides angularly disposed refiecting surfaces El which materially enhance the decorative appearance of the ribbon and more securely bonds the layers or plies of material.

In Figure 26, the crimping is done in the center of the ribbon. Not only does this method provide a ribbon of attractive appearance but it also is useful in bonding ribbons of the type shown in Figures 6, and 22. Obviously, the methods of crimping on the borders or on the edges may be applied to any of the ribbons described, or if desired, the entire surface of the ribbons may be crimped.

The invention may be embodied in other specil-lc forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentv embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the append-ed claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A decorative ribbon formed from a single strip of colored transparent material comprising a dark border formed by four thicknesses of said strip and a lighter contiguous area formed by a single thickness of said strip.

2. A decorative ribbon formed from a single strip of colored transparent material comprising a dark border formed by four thicknesses of said strip, a lighter area contiguous. said border formed of at least two thicknesses of said strip, and a 5. The combination dened in claim 3 Wherein one or more of said areas are crimped to provide angularly disposed reflecting surfaces.

6. A decorative, vari-shaded ribbon formed from a single strip of colored transparent material comprising spaced parallel transparent borders of an intermediate relatively dark shade and a contiguous transparent area of a shade relatively lighter than said border, said contiguous area being formed by more than one ply of material and the border by a still greater number of plies of material.

WILLIAM C. PROTZ. 

